Accepting Serenity by Bliss
by Babyverse Krewe
Summary: WIP. Please r/r. AU-BabyVerse. Serenity awakens with a hunger she doesn't understand. She doesn't know it yet, but someone is watching over her.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer

None of the characters from 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' or 'Angel' belong to me.  They are the exclusive property of Joss Whedon (to whom we all owe one giant "Thank You!"), Mutant Enemy, Lazy Dave, Fox, WB, UPN, and other copyright owners.

Baby belongs to Ebs.

Distribution 

Go ahead.  Just put my name on it and e-mail me where you're posting it.  

Feedback 

Oh yes, please.  

Spoilers 

None.

Author's Notes 

Be sure and read other excellent fics by the Babyverse crew at  www.angelfire.com/goth/babyverse


	2. Chapter 1

**Accepting Serenity**

by Bliss

Pain.  There was nothing else.  Framed in red; vision-blurring, ear-ringing pain.  The world faded and all that was left was the pain.  

A pair of emerald green eyes snapped open abruptly.  It was all wrong.  Something was missing.  Confused and disoriented, she struggled to find the answer.   As the haze began to lift a bit she was able to think a little more clearly.  The pain.  That was it.  She was no longer in that all-consuming agony.  Her eyes opened wider as she realized that the pain had left her completely.  Tears formed in the corner of those eyes and she choked on the relief.  She had thought that the hurt would never stop.  

Her arms and legs felt so heavy.  As she turned her head, she felt soft satin gently brush against her cheek.  Her long, dark hair seemed to act as an anchor, holding her head down with its weight.  It was as she fought to sit up that she first realized that she was in some sort of enclosure.  Resisting the urge to panic, she slowly explored the borders of her confines with her fingertips.  The bottom and sides appeared to be covered with smooth, quilted satin.  The top seemed to be made of wood.  By her estimate, the box she now rested in was about six feet in length and two-and-a-half feet tall.  Definitely it was not enough room to maneuver in with any ease.   Something nagged at the corner of her mind.  Still a bit disoriented, she labored to make sense of the word that was fluttering around in her head.  Coffin.

_Oh.  My.  God.  No! I refuse to believe it.  No!  This cannot be happening.  No!  _

She couldn't think with all that screaming go on.  The hysterical sobbing shrieks were echoing throughout the box.  She snapped her mouth shut tightly when she realized that the sounds were coming from her own throat.  She swallowed the terror, and forced herself to concentrate.  _Buried.  Not dead.  Those two thoughts threatened to instigate a new bout of hysterics that would not help the situation.  __Buried.  Not dead.  There must be some way out of this if she could just collect her wits.  __Buried.  Not dead.  Chances are, there would be a good six feet worth of dirt above even if she could manage to get out of the box.  __Buried.  Not dead.  Just before she fainted, she wondered how long the oxygen surrounding her would last._

_-- Who are you?_

_I'm… I'm… _

_-- You don't even remember, do you?_

_Who are you?  What do you want with me?_

_-- Why, I am you, silly girl.  Besides, you are asking the wrong question._

_Who… who am I?_

_-- That's better.  Yes, who are you?_

She awoke to the sound of her own fists beating against the wood above her.  Calming herself as much as possible, she assessed the situation.  Strangely enough, the lack of fresh air had not yet seemed to bother her.  If anything, she felt stronger now than when she first awoke in this hole.   To her surprise, she discovered that her frantic attack on the top of the box had actually made a dent.  Trails of sand trickled in from above, catching her unexpectedly in her nose and mouth.  It was that first mouthful of dirt that brought reality crashing down around her.  In the darkness that followed, she remembered.

The mocking laugh taunted her as she struggled to get up.  Laying face down on the ground, she inhaled dirt with every labored breath.  Her face was wet with tears, sweat, and mud.  There was something else too, something warm and sticky.  "Come on girly.  I'm ready for some more if you are."  The cruel mirth in his voice was almost as sharp as the broken beer bottle that he had so recently used on her battered body.  "damn… you… forever…" she managed to stammer defiantly as he approached her.  That hateful laugh came again as he said "Too late girly.  I'm already damned."  His dark eyes lit up as he added, "Though, I think I just might damn you with me."  The monster moved slowly towards her, then the pain followed.  And the pain made the world turn red.

Light.  There was light coming from above.  As she pulled herself back to consciousness the first thing she felt was a deep ache in both of her hands and arms.  Covered in dirt, she pulled herself up and out of the hole that she had managed to dig.  For the longest time, she lay there staring up at the moon.  As she sat upright, she found herself faced with a beautiful angel of marble.  The pedestal below was engraved:  Beloved.  Serenity Leigh Masters.  Gone from our home but not from our hearts.

_No!_

_-- Who are you?_

_No!  It's not true._

_-- Who are you!_

"I am not dead!" she whispered to the stars.

A flame burst in the night to light up the face of the stranger as he lit the cigarette in his mouth.  Dressed entirely in black and covered by a long black duster, the darkness embraced him.  Only the bleached blonde hair and face as pale as the moon itself broke the hold of the night.  

"True enough, pet" he smirked, pausing to take a puff from the stick as he looked down at her with the bluest eyes she had ever seen "but you sure as bloody hell aren't alive now either."

~ ~ ~

Spike looked down at the slight thing before him.  She couldn't be more than five feet tall even in those silly platform sandals she wore.  She looked as if the next breeze might just pick her up and take her with it if the mounds of heavy black tresses that streamed along the length of her back weren't holding her down.  Her bright green eyes stared wildly, like a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming car.  He noticed her hands clenching and unclenching just before she broke contact and darted off into the darkness.

A familiar smell reached him and he smiled as loving hands encircled his waist.  "Hello, my dear one," the woman whispered as she playfully nipped at his earlobe then nodded at the retreating form.  "She in trouble or going to be trouble?"  Spike gave a long sigh as he tossed the cigarette to the ground and crushed it with his boot "Well luv, most likely a bit o' both." He turned to face his wife, as she motioned to someone in the shadows.  Wordlessly, the one called Jean Claude turned to follow the girl.  Spike threw his Baby over one shoulder and treaded towards home, her giggles warming his heart while the closeness of her wiggling body heated up the other parts of him.

~ ~ ~

The hunger consumed her.  It burned inside, demanding attention.  Clawing at her throat, the thirsting hunger insisted that she sate it or go crazy.  Something almost primal threatened to eclipse her entire being at any moment.  The branches and vines grasping at her ankles changed to pavement yet still she ran.  She could not say exactly when she switched from running away to running toward something.  A smell called to her.  The lovely smell promised relief.  All around her streetlights floated blurrily, somewhere in the distance she could hear music and laughter, and she could vaguely feel the wind on her skin but only the smell really existed.  The rest were just distractions trying to keep her from her release. The smell was everything and everywhere.  She turned in circles in the middle of the street, trying to pinpoint the source, desperate to capture the pleasure it promised.  

She let out a frustrated sob and stumbled up some nearby stairs, falling hard against a door.  Darkness threatened to overcome her yet still she fought to remain coherent.  As if looking through a tunnel, she saw the concerned face of a middle-aged man looking down at her.  He knelt beside her, his mouth forming words "…. alri…. miss….. be ok…"   She shook her head hard to stop the ringing in her ears and he repeated, "Miss, are you alright?"  

God, he smelled good.   Almost good enough to… She saw the look of horror on his face even before she felt herself change.  She looked out through her eyes at someone else.  It was not her pulling the terrified man to her lips.  It was not her handling him so brutally.  It was not her… Silent tears ran down his face as he stopped struggling.  "No!" she shouted.

_No!  I am not a monster!_

_-- Who are you, then?_

_I don't hurt people.  I don't make them cry.  That is not who I am._

_-- Are you so sure?  Who are you, Serenity?_

_Serenity? Yes, I remember.  Sera, to my friends.  Sera is better.   _

_-- Sera was who they wanted us to be.  Serenity is who we are._

Sera pushed the man away unharmed.  She fought to rise to her feet while she was still in control.  The hunger was just below the surface waiting to explode. It gripped at her gut and the voice threatened in her head.  The voice demanded control.  The voice wanted to be fed.  No, not just fed, it wanted to destroy.  It wanted to hurt as much as she had been hurt.  It wanted to bring retribution on all of humankind.  It was hungry.

Jean aborted his rescue of the man and stepped back into the shadows when he saw her push the human away.  He had often wondered what it would was like in the beginning without family there to guide.  He stared after the small woman as she struggled to her feet and down the alleyway, and he pondered her future.  He knew better than most that good and evil were not the black and white chess pieces that many liked to imagine.  Most living creatures, and even undead ones too, have a bit of both in them.  He was speculating on which would gain the upper hand in the battle she waged inside when he noticed the hooded man approach the alleyway.  Jean immediately recognized the movements of a predator.

~ ~ ~

Throbbing, pounding, ceaseless demands whispered from her head and from her body.  Her entire being seemed to expand around her as she huddled against the brick wall, rocking back and forth.  Hunger.  Hurt.  Hate.  Helpless.  Hopeless.  Hunger.  The world became smaller and those feelings seem to fill it to the brim.  

"You look cold.  I can warm you up." The voice sounded neither warm nor compassionate but Sera was too far gone to notice.  "Please," she begged, "I don't want to hurt anyone.  Leave now!"  The hooded man sneered.  He misunderstood her panic and felt himself grow hard in anticipation of her fear.  "You may not want to hurt anyone, but I do." A flash of light, moonlight reflecting off of the blade he carried, proved his words to be true.  "But first, I want to see what you have under that dress."  He reached out and pulled her up into his arms.  She could smell the excitement mixed with dirt and sweat on the man.  The voice whispered in her head.  The need burned in her body.  The anger raged in her core.  She let go and her demon came out to play. 

~~~~~


	3. Chapter 2

-- 

Accepting Serenity

Chapter 2

From the darkness, Sera could hear sounds of anguish mixed with throaty growls of pleasure.  The voice begging for mercy was barely recognizable as her cruel attacker.  She shuddered as she thought about what sort of creature could reduce such a callous man to pleading.  As his cries faded to whimpers and then to silence, she felt the throbbing demand inside her release its hold.  Warmth flowed through her and filled the painful emptiness.  

Slowly, the shadows around her lifted and the narrow alleyway started to take shape again.  Sera rubbed her eyes and blinked several times. As her eyesight returned, she turned to look for a place to hide.  She needed to get away from whatever it was that had taken her assailant.  

It was the grisly scene before her that held her where she stood.  Her legs refused to move as her mind battled to grasp something elusive.  _Who are you?  The broken body of a man lay at her feet, the jacket hood thrown back to reveal his face.  Lifeless eyes stared accusingly at her.  __Who are you?  Even as her heart revolted at the display of violence surrounding her, the smell reached up and touched a part of her brain.  It smelled like satisfaction.  __Who am I? Sera backed as far away from the gore as possible, bumping into the wall behind her.  She reached up to brush a strand of dark hair from her brow and left something thick and wet behind.  That was when she noticed the blood covering both of her hands.  Staring, horrified, she cried,  "What have I done?"  __Who am I?_

~ ~ ~

There was no doubt that this one had deserved to die.  Humans have a great capacity for evil.  The sick things some of them do rival that of the demons themselves.  Jean Claude knew that now, after years of sharing the night with predators like the one laying at the girl's feet.  As his eyes traveled up from the remains to the slender form standing over it, he was forced to change his perception.  Gentle curves just behind the loose white material of the burial dress proved that she was more than a girl, despite her small frame. His gaze continued upwards to her face.  Her pale face held a simple beauty that was neither flashy nor pretentious.   It was obvious that she had experienced life, and in spite of the current expression of horror, the small laugh lines around her mouth and eyes seemed to indicate that she smiled more often than not.  Her thick, dark hair curved about her face and shoulders almost with a mind of its own, traveling all the way down the length of her back.

The silent tears that cascaded down her cheek touched him.  Jean made a habit of studying people.  The quiet man could often be found standing a bit off from the crowd, watching.  In fact, he could learn more about a situation in five minutes of observation than many could after hours of interaction.  That was one of the things that made him so valuable to the family.  This time, however, it took no effort at all to see what was happening. Between her release of the Good Samaritan at the door and the look of remorse she now wore, it was easy to conclude the source of her inner struggle.  

As he stood at the mouth of the alley, a lecture he had given in another lifetime flitted across his mind.  "Imitation Morality," he had called it, challenging the philosophy students to define what made an action good or evil and to explore how much society dictated those ideas.  He wondered if she would be able to push aside those preconceived ideals of good and evil and find her place in this world.

Sera felt someone's gaze upon her and looked up from behind the locks of hair that had fallen over her eyes.  The man that stepped out of the shadows towered over her, but there was a gentleness in his deep brown eyes that immediately made her feel at ease.  His soft voice was murmuring comforting words with a mellow Cajun accent.   Something about him made her trust him instinctively.  She allowed him to take her by the arm, and with a practiced air of authority, he took charge of the situation.  Gently but quickly, he whisked her away from the carnage.

~ ~ ~

Sitting on a park bench at four o'clock in the morning sipping coffee might not be strange to some people.  But then those people probably had not just fought their way out of a grave, almost killed an innocent bystander, fought off an attempted rape, and woke up covered in blood.  To Sera, it was almost surreal.   Her rescuer had left her here wrapped in his jacket, and promptly returned with coffee and beignets.  Unconsciously, she pulled the jacket closer.  Even though she was not at all cold, he seemed to know that it would provide her with much-needed comfort as well as cover the dark stains of blood on her white gown.  The food and drink offered a thankful distraction and a sense of normalcy.

It was quiet.  That was one of the things Jean enjoyed about living in the night.  The stillness gave one time to think.  He looked over at the tiny woman lost in the folds of his jacket and pondered.  Finally, he made up his mind and broke the silence.  "Jean Claude," he informed her, and remembering the grave marker he added, "and you are Serenity?"  A brief look of conflict danced across her face before she gave a sad smile and replied, "My friends call me Sera."  They lapsed into silence once more.  Sera searched to find the words she wanted and Jean patiently gave her all the time she needed. "Jean." She spoke so softly that a human would have had to strain to hear what she was saying. "Can you tell me what is happening to me?" 

It was the question that he was expecting, of course.  He had thought about his answer, and even questioned if he was the one who should provide it, before he had given her the opportunity to ask.   Years of scrutinizing people had honed his instincts about how they are likely to react in a given situation.  Likewise, countless dealings with demons of all kinds had taught him to be prepared for anything.  Either way, he was sure of one thing.  She was not going to like what he had to say.  With great care, he took an unneeded breath and began.

~ ~ ~

_Vampire?_

_--Who are you?_

_That can't be.  I am not evil!_

_--Aren't you?_

_This cannot be happening._

_--Who are you?_

Sera shook her head.  She could feel Jean's hand pat her shoulder reassuringly.  _I can't be a vampire.  She leaned down and rested her head in her hands.  __There must be some mistake.  Visions of the blood-covered alley rose up to greet her.  __I don't hurt people.  She saw the eyes of the rapist staring vacantly at her.  __Oh God!  What am I going to do?  _

Jean knew that the she needed some time.  She must have a very strong spirit to fight so hard against herself.  As he left her to her thoughts, he silently thanked Fortune herself for allowing his family to be there with him in the beginning.  His reverie was interrupted as he felt her fall over into his lap in a dead faint.  He looked from her prone form to the eastern horizon and the soft orange glow that precedes the sunrise and did the only thing he could do.   He gathered her up in his arms and took her home.

~ ~ ~


	4. Chapter 3

Accepting Serenity

Chapter 3

Jean Claude visibly relaxed as he stepped into the breakfast room.  The cozy nook was one of his favorite places in the house and he always felt so at ease there.  It was a small, intimate room that was shared only by the ones closest to his sire.  The silk wallpaper that covered walls was a deep ruby hue that seemed to envelop him protectively as he entered.  Across the room, a set of rich, dark blue French doors were opened to reveal the courtyard garden, the beautiful blooms glistening with the morning dew.  Jean stopped for a moment to enjoy the fresh dawn air wafting through the room.  The courtyard, facing west and sheltered from the deadly sun in the shade of an ancient oak tree, provided a glorious view of the day without any danger to the those inside.

Jean sat down at the table just to the right of his sire.  The core members of the family made a habit of gathering together as often as possible in the early morning to share a meal before heading off to bed.  Frequently, tales of the evening's escapades intermingled with talk of family business affairs.  The small table was more crowded than in recent days, since both Rene and Claudia had returned for the celebration of Spike and Baby's anniversary.  The couple had weathered a rough time earlier in the year, but made it through stronger than ever.  They had decided to commemorate their wedding date this year with an entire month of rejoicing rather than just one day. 

The room was dim, lit only by the filtered light passing through the doorway and a few candles placed intermittently between crepes, strawberries, and other tempting delicacies.  Rather than making the place gloomy, the soft light created a peacefulness.   In the background, the water from the fountain outside babbled comfortingly.  The smell of jasmine from the garden intermingling with Baby's scent was intoxicating.  Jean shook his head slightly and turned to look at her.  She was perched on Spike's knee; head thrown back in a throaty laugh as he dipped a strawberry in the whipped cream and playfully placed a bit of it on her chin and nose.  Leaning forward, her husband slowly kissed the sweet cream off her nose and gently licked her chin and neck. 

She was breathtakingly beautiful.  Jean was proud to know such a woman.  She was strong, and tender, and loyal, and loving.  He would kill anything that threatened her.  He knew that he would die for her if it were ever necessary.  His glaze moved over to the man holding her.   He loved and respected Spike more than any other man, alive or undead.  There was almost nothing Jean wouldn't do for him.  He knew Spike wasn't perfect.  He'd seen that when his sire let that shallow bit of fluff almost ruin the best thing that ever happened to him.  It had been almost six months since their run-in with the slayer, and Jean had eventually forgiven him for the lapse, but he would never forget.  There was _almost_ nothing he wouldn't do for Spike.  

Smiling fondly, he continued to watch as the two responsible for giving him a second chance at living showed their feelings for one another in a million wordless gestures.  It was obvious that they belonged to one another.  Jean had admitted to himself long ago that he loved Baby.  What he loved most about her was the way that she loved with a holding-nothing-back, from-the-core-of-her-being, with-every-ounce-of-her-essence kind of love. She loved many people, including him, and would move heaven and earth protecting them.   But Spike was her heart.  Jean knew without a doubt that she needed him like a rose needed sunlight.  She bloomed in his presence.  Jean knew that part of what made Baby so alive was her love for Spike.  He could never be jealous of something so beautiful.  He was genuinely happy to see them together.  A sense of pride tugged at his heart that he was part of something so powerful.  Family.  It was the most important thing.  

"So, you put her up in the guest room?" Baby asked as she mixed Spike's coffee just the way he liked it. 

 Jean nodded and sighed, "I'm not sure how it will go."  He shuddered as he remembered a brother Spike had to put down who couldn't control the beast within.  "But I do not believe for a moment that she is dangerous to anyone but herself at this point," he added solemnly. 

 "Any idea who turned her?" Spike questioned.  "If some sod is going about making vamps in my town, especially unwilling victims, I bloody well want to know about it."   

Jean nodded in agreement, "I'll get some of our people on it."  

With that, Baby gave a clearly fake yawn and announced impishly to Spike, "I think it is time for bed dear."

~ ~ ~

"Well, I hear she nice to look at," Rene grinned. He had remained at the table with Jean after the others had left. "She must be special for you to bring her home to meet the family." 

"You know it's nothing like that." Jean chuckled warmly at his comrade. "It's good to have you home, my friend. I've missed you." 

Rene leaned back in his chair, "I never miss a party, me. You know?" His eyes twinkled mischievously as he added, "Didn't know I was supposed to dig up a date, though." 

Jean laughed loudly and quipped, "You know it's no use trying to make a vampire blush." 

Rene sobered and quietly asked, "Seriously, what you think of this girl?" 

Jean shrugged, "She is going to need a friend to help her through this." A comfortable silence fell between the two as they finished the coffee in front of them. 

As Rene stood and walked toward the door, he offered, "I'll be here to help for as long as you need me."  It was good to have family.  Jean watched his brother climb the stairs, then turned to pick up the phone. 

~ ~ ~

From the back seat of the black Lexus, he looked out of darkly tinted windows at the house across the street.  Two teenage girls rushed out of the door, arguing over who would get to drive to school.  Their dark brown hair bounced as they tumbled into their small Voltswagon, brown eyes smiling.  The Bug swerved a bit from the unpracticed hands and soon disappeared around the corner.  Behind the dark window, a single tear escaped from eyes the same exact shade.

~ ~ ~

Sera knew she was asleep.  She also knew she wasn't alone.

_-- Who are you?_

_I… I won't become a monster._

_-- And who is it that decides what is evil?_

_I don't want to hurt people._

_-- But people hurt us.  We deserve our revenge.  We demand it._

_It's wrong._

_--It's natural.  It's our nature._

_NO!_

Sera reached out in the dark and grabbed the creature, determined to keep it from harming anyone.  It struggled to break free, but she held firm.  _"Can't you feel our pain?"_ The creature whispered in her ear.  She could feel the hot breath on her neck. "_Remember how red it felt?"_  Sera pushed the creature away as the memory of that agony consumed her.  It rushed towards her, stepping into the light.  Serenity smiled.

No!  This could not be happening.  It did not make sense.  How could the evil creature look just like her?  It was trying to take over.  She knew that instinctively.  Everything was spinning.  The world turned red.    _Remember how red it felt?  _Stop it.  She had to make it quit.  Turning.  Faster.  Whirling.  Red.  Still, it smiled at her with her features.  With a frustrated scream, Sera reached out and clawed at its face.  Angry lines were slashed across the creature's cheek, yet still it smiled.  _Can't you feel our pain?_

~ ~ ~

Sera awoke with a sob.  The dream was so vivid that she still remembered every image.  Panic threatened to take her when she realized that she did not recognize anything around her.  After the first blurry moments of waking passed, she remembered the details of last night.  The vampire, Jean Claude, had spent several patient hours explaining what had happened to her.  This must be the house he told her about where he lived with his family.  Just as she began to feel a little calmer, she felt something trickling down her cheek.  Reaching up tentatively, her fingers found something wet.  Pain shot through the wound as she explored it, and her hand returned covered in her own blood.  A look of horror passed over her face as she realized that she bore the creature's injury.  

She could take no more.  In search of peace, she looked at the balcony door.   She remembered well what Jean had told her about the sunlight.  Sliding off the bed, she slowly walked toward the door and pulled it open.

~ ~ ~__


	5. Chapter 4

.

**Chapter 4**

by Bliss

It was so bright.  A short, shaded canopy of leaves led to a bright glow beyond.  Something seemed so familiar.  _Remember._  Sera started to take the step forward that would lead out the door but stopped.  _Remember.  _A memory tugged at the corner of her mind.  _Remember!_

   It was so bright.  She traveled down the short walkway toward the light.  No matter how many times she made this walk, she still felt the butterflies inside.  "Remember to smile," she prompted herself as she stepped toward the glare. Learning not to squint had been the hardest part.  Noise erupted all around her as she stepped to her mark.  Blocking out the distractions, she found the music and began to sing.  As always, the nervousness disappeared beneath the glory of the song.  She allowed herself to be carried away with the melody, giving herself over, becoming an instrument.  One piece followed the last, until the music stopped and the crowd was again on its feet.  She remembered to give one final smile as she turned at last from the brightness.  He was waiting at the end of the short hall from the stage, his gray eyes shining with pride.  When she reached him, he slipped his arms comfortably around her waist, whispering her name against her neck as he hugged her. "Sera."

"Sera!"  Jean called again as he quickly made his way across the room towards her.  She was standing at threshold of the balcony door, staring straight ahead at the late afternoon sun.  Almost all of the rooms in the house were partially blocked from those dangerous rays but just a few steps out the door lay certain death for such a young vampire.  He stopped just short of reaching her and waited.  The moment had finally come, and he could not make this decision for her.  He watched her very closely looking for any signs of hesitation.  If it was what she wanted, he would not stop her, but if she needed him, he would be here.

Sera blinked back her tears and thought about those gray eyes.  She knew that something important lay within that memory.  Disjointed images danced on the edge of her consciousness, eluding her.  She again thought to move forward towards final rest, the warmth calling to her.  But the memory caused her to wait.  The face of the gray-eyed man haunted her, pleading wordlessly for her to reconsider.  From behind her, she heard someone softly ask, "Are you sure?"   Those three little words pulled her back from the brink.  She squared her shoulders and lifted her chin defiantly.  Wordlessly, she turned her back on the sun.

"I'm sorry to be so much trouble," she said as she sat on the edge of the bed, watching him.  Jean Claude walked past her and pulled the balcony door shut.  He turned to pick up some packages that he had dropped when he entered and sat down beside her.

"It will get easier," he promised her.  He felt her sag against him, and gently encircled her in a reassuring embrace.  He listened to her muffled sobs as she pressed her face to his chest.  Jean was at a loss as to what to do next.  He wanted to make it better, but was wise enough to know that he could not.  Instead, he just held her.  Her tears slowed, then stopped; yet still she remained in his arms.  She seemed so tiny beside to him, so vulnerable.  He was almost afraid that he would break her.  It had been so long since he held another this way, tenderly, rather than in passion.  It was nice to just be close to someone.  His mind drifted to the laughing teenage girls, daughters that he would never again hold.  He knew how hard it was to leave life behind.  For the first time in a very long while, he let himself go.  He placed his cheek upon the top of her head and together, for the longest time, they swayed slightly, silently comforting one another.  

~ ~ ~

"I have something for you," he told her as she looked up at him at last.  She touched his heart by reaching up and wiping the single tear from his face.  He was not the kind of man to blindly trust others, but he somehow knew instinctively that he had found a friend in her.  She was someone that he did not have to always be strong around.  It was almost eerie how easy he felt in her presence.  

"Oh really?" She responded, rewarding him with a small smile.  It was the first time she could remember wanting to smile, but it felt so right.  Her face was made to smile and it brightened immediately.  The sadness was still there, and the worry too, but she didn't feel so alone.  The despair was held at bay.  It was not her nature to be sad, and even now facing so many fears and questions, her jovial spirit won out for a while.

He handed her one of the packages at his feet and watched as she quickly opened the box.  "I hope it is the right size," he worried as she pulled out an emerald green dress, the exact shade of her eyes.  She stood up and held it in front of herself and gave a small whirl, soft satin twirling around her.  "I thought you might want something new to wear to the party tonight, if you feel like coming." He nodded towards the other bags and boxes, "There are some other things to get you by for a while as well."  With that, he rose to leave.

"Wait!" she panicked, not quite ready to be alone.  He stood with his hand on the doorknob, looking back at her. Sera's mind raced, and then found an excuse.  "Don't you want me to try it on for you… umm, to make sure it fits?"  

Jean laughed softly and returned to his seat on the bed.  "Oh!  Of course.  How silly of me to forget."

Sera impulsively leaned down and kissed his forehead before turning toward the connecting bathroom.  "Thank you for everything," she told him sincerely and then disappeared through the door.

_"What have I gotten myself into?" _ Jean wondered as he waited for her return.  He could hear her humming softly to herself as she changed.  At the sound of the door opening, he looked up.  She stepped timidly into the room, smiling shyly.  It was a perfect fit.  Thin straps buttoned behind her neck, leaving her shoulders bare.  The high waist gathered just below the curve of her breast with a broad ribbon, and the flowing full skirt ended just before reaching her knees.  She stood there in her bare feet, twisting slightly from side to side causing the skirt to gently sway.

"I didn't see a mirror," She mentioned.  "I wanted to see how I…"  The look in his eyes reminded her of what she had almost forgotten and she gave a melancholy sigh.  

"You look beautiful," He soothed,  "and you can't forget these."  He reached for a slender box lying near the bed, and opened it.  From inside he produced a small pair of satin slippers the same shade as her new dress.  Kneeling in front of her, he placed them on her feet.

"Oh!  Jean, " she gushed, close to tears again.  "They are lovely.  Everything is perfect.  It means so much to me.  Without your friendship, I don't think I could make it right now."  She knelt down beside him and took his hand in hers.  In a soft voice she whispered, "Thank you."


End file.
